Horse-detacher



(No Model.)

A. M. WITHERINGTON.

HORSE DETAOHER.

No. 332,201. Pal tented May 1, 1888.

IJV'VENTK WITNESSES,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABSALOM MERICOUS WITHERINGTON, OF RUTHERFORD DEPOT, TENN ESSEE.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,201, dated May 1,1888. I

Application filed Become-1227, 1887. Serial No. 259,039. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABSALOM lVIERIOOUS WITHERINGTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rutherford Depot, in the county of Gibson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Detachers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my new and improved horse-detacher, showing the same in its normal or closed position. Fig. 2 is a perspective top view of the detacher, showing the spring-catch swung on its pivot, and the hinged end piece swung forward to free the trace from the singletree. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of the detacher, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the catch.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in a new and improved device for detaching horses, by the use of which the driver, can instantly free or detach the horse or horses from a buggy, wagon, plow, or other vehicle or implement, in case of the horse or horses running away, or in any other emergency, thus preventing serious accidents and loss of life, as well as damage to the vehicle or implement; and my invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates a singletree, to which, in Fig. 1 of the drawings, my invention is shown as applied. The detaching device consists of an end piece or thimble, B, which is formed hollow for about two-thirds of its length, this opening or socket 0 extending from the inner end of the thimble B and tapering in size as it extends inward. These thimbles B are secured upon the ends of the singletree by rivets passing through the small apertures D D at the inner end of the thimbles, or by any other suitable fastening device. Each thimble B is cut away on the top and bottom of its solid outer end, to leave the parallel slanting shoulders E E and the fiat reduced end piece,

F, as shown, while the rear side of the thimble is flattened, as shown at G. p

H indicates the pivoted swinging end piece of the device, this end piece being cut away on its forward side to form the slanting shoulders or side I, the slant of which coincides with that of the shoulders E E of the thimble, while this inclined part of the end piece is formed with the horizontal recess J, in. which fits the reduced outer end, K, of the thimble. The reduced end of the thimble fits in this recess, and is pivoted therein at its out.er.forward or front corner by the vertical pivot L. The outer solid end of the end piece, H, is grooved transversely at M for the attachment of the end of the trace, and this solid outer end is beveled or cut away on its forward side, as shown. In its normal position the end piece lies in line with the thimble, with the slanting side I in contact with the slanting shoulders E of the thimble, and with the reduced inner rear end of the end piece lying close along the flat rear side of the thimble, as shown. The end piece, to which, as stated, the end of the trace is attached, is held in this normal position by means of a catch, N, which is centrally pivoted to the rear side of the thimble at the rear inner end of the end piece. The inner end, 0, of the end piece is cut oft at an inclination, as shown, and is further formed with an inclined shoulder, P, formed by a recess on the-outer side of the said end, while the outer end of the centrally-pivoted catch is likewise inclined or slanting, and is recessed on its inner side to form a slanting shoulder, Q. A small spring, R, secured at one end to the flat rear side of the thimble and at the other end to the outer end of the catch, serves to hold the catch normally in its locked position and to return it to this position when the cord which turns the catch is released. It will be seen that in its normal position the spring will keep the shouldered outer end of the catch securely over the recessed shouldered inner end of the end piece, H, and that the catch will thus normally hold the end piece firmly in line with the thimble and singletree,so that the ends of the traces can be hooked over the ends of the device, and the whole will operate like an ordinary singletree.

A cord, S, is secured at one end to the lower inner end of each catch Nand passes up through a small eye, '1, on thethim'ble over thesaid end, and then through an eye, U, at the center of the upper side of the singletree, the two cords then running up to the seat of the body, or to the handles of the plow. It will now be seen that in case of the horse or horses (each singletree being equipped with the device in this manner) running away, or in case of any other accident or emergency, the driver can instantly free or release the team by pulling upon the cords, which will turn the spring-actuated catches on their central pivots, so as to free the slanting shouldered inner ends of the pivoted end pieces, H, from the catches, when the forward pull of the team will cause the will be seen that my new and improved detaching device is strong and comparatively simple in construction and very eflieientin its Its use will prevent serious accioperation.

dents and loss of life, as well as damage to vehicles and farming implements in case of runaways and other emergencies. A projecting point, V, may be secured in the flat rear side of the thimble, which will enter a recess, W, in the inner side of the inner rear end of the end piece,H,for the purpose of preventing the possibility of any lateral play of the inner re duced end of the said end piece.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The combination of the thimble formed with thesoeket, the slanting shoulders, and the re dueed outer end, and having the point or stop at its rear side, the pivoted end piece formed with the slanting recessed outer part, and the reduced inner rear end having the inclined shouldered extremity-and the recess W, the centrally-pivoted catch having the shouldered inclined inner end, the spring, and the operating-cord, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABSALOM lllERICOUS WITHERINGTON.

\Vitnesses:

' ARCHIE KEATHLEY,

JAMES THODEUS CURTIS. 

